This invention pertains to primer valves for dispensing small amounts of water from time to time to sewer line drain traps as required to keep them full and operative.
Since the water in sewer line drain traps evaporates with time, the traps may become non-functional, allowing sewer gas to enter the building in which the drain is housed. For this reason most municipal plumbing and sanitary codes require that means be provided for supplying primer water automatically to each sewer line water trap. This ensures the trap will be operative at all times.
My prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,333,597 and 4,204,556 describe primer valves for sewer line traps which hook onto the domestic pressured water system.
It is the general purpose of the present invention to provide a primer valve for sewer line drain traps which, rather than hooking onto the pressured domestic water system, is fed by water from the tank of a flush toilet, or similar installation incorporating a tank containing water of fluctuating level. Each time the toilet is flushed, a small but effective amount of water is fed through the primer valve to the sewer line drain trap.
It is a further purpose of the present invention to provide an automatic primer valve for sewer line drain traps which is simple in construction, adaptable for use with conventional flushing toilets, easily and inexpensively installed, and substantially free of maintenance problems.
The foregoing and other objects of the invention are accomplished by the provision of a primer valve for sewer line drain traps which is adapted for use in conjunction with a flushing toilet or like installation including a tank containing water of fluctuating level. The primer valve comprises a pipe penetrating the lower portion of the tank and providing a port at its inner end. Conduit means connect the outer end of the pipe to the trap. Seal means seal the joint between the pipe and tank against leakage of water. A float-operated valve is associated with the port and is actuated preferably by the toilet tank float. The valve is operative to discharge small amounts of water to the trap with changes in level of the water in the tank. The device thus makes use of surplus water contained in the tank without drawing specifically on the pressurized household water supply.